DESCRIPTION: The skin plays multiple roles in protection from environmental insults. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that micronutrients including vitamins B6, B12, C, E, folate, and niacin are involved in the maintenance of genomic integrity of skin cells via mechanisms ranging from scavenging ROS to the repair of DNA damage. Sub-clinical micronutrient deficiencies are prevalent even in advanced societies and micronutrient status decreases with age. The above information leads to the hypothesis that improvement of the micronutrient status of skin will retard skin deterioration by enhancement of cellular defense mechanisms to environmental insults. The overall objective of this proposal is to determine the feasibility of developing a topical micronutrient delivery system to provide nutritional support to skin. The specific aims of the proposed research are (i) to synthesize and characterize a series of micronutrient derivatives (pronutrients) designed to effectively diffuse through the stratum corneum layer of skin, (ii) to determine the optimal lipophilicity of pronutrients for topical delivery to the cellular components of skin, (iii) to develop inactive companion co-esters for the purpose of regulating micronutrient delivery, and (iv) to determine the efficacy of co-ester companions in the delivery of nutrients to specific areas of skin. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: Biomedical research of the past 20 years has shown that the health of skin, like other aspects of human health, requires nutritional support. Benefiting the health of skin via novel pronutrients and a novel formulation strategy that can be patent protected has considerable commercial potential in a skin care market that exceeds $20 billion per year. Further, this market promises to coninue to grow as the population continues to age and migrate to the sun belt.